KitKat 4.4 launches on HTC One Google Play smartphone

Google's new Android 4.4 KitKat OS is now rolling out to those with the HTC One Google Play edition.

The Verge noted that its HTC One has already got the update, while those on the XDA-Developers forum reported the same thing.

The 305MB update boosts the device to Android 4.4 KRT 16S, and includes recent fixes to radio connectivity and encryption bugs. It doesn't, however, include the Nexus 5's "Google Experience Launcher," which adds features like a Google Now option to the home screen, The Verge said.

Developer versions of smartphones run "stock" Android, or a version of Google's OS stripped of manufacturer add-ons, like Samsung Touchwiz or HTC Sense. The HTC One developer edition made its debut in March.

For those impatient users dying to break off a piece of Android's KitKat, an XDA user captured the OTA download link, and posted it online.

KitKat rolled out on 31 October on the Nexus 5. Shortly thereafter, HTC pledged to roll out KitKat to the Google Play HTC One, followed by the unlocked and carrier versions within 90 days. KitKat has also rolled out to Moto X users on Verizon Wireless as well as the Nexus 7 and 10.

Meanwhile, if you're looking for something with a little more bling, the HTC One Gold is now available in Europe for pre-order.

The much less pricey gold-colored HTC One was leaked in September, just days after Apple unveiled its new gold iPhone 5s. The 4.7-inch gold HTC One sports a 1.7GHz quad-core processor and the same software features as other HTC One models, which also come in silver, black, blue, and red.